Shifting Gears
by Pookieh
Summary: After his car breaks down on his way to tie up the loose ends of his life in District 12, the last person Peeta Mellark expects to find working under the hood of his car is Katniss Everdeen. When faced with a second chance to change the course of his future, he realizes he's more than willing to let her take hold of the wheel. Everlark AU written for S2Sl. Cover art by Ro Nordmann.
1. Chapter 1

"You've got to be kidding me!" Peeta shouted at the windshield as his car slowed to a sputtering halt. Thankfully, he'd been able to maneuver it off onto the shoulder of the highway so as not to be a sitting duck out in the middle of the road. Not that it really mattered; he hadn't seen another car in over an hour and didn't expect to either. He cursed under his breath at his luck, or lack thereof.

His exit had just come into view—only half a mile away—when the steering wheel began to feel stiff as he was changing lanes. The inopportune timing just made everything a hundred times worse. He was already running late for dinner and the earlier meeting he'd had with his father's accountant had left him feeling guilty as fuck. Fate was laughing in his face, but maybe it served him right…maybe it was a sign.

The check engine light had flickered on well over a month ago, but he didn't think much of it at the time. The old clunker still started each morning, and so each week he told himself that he'd take it into the shop. One week turned to two, which somehow turned into four, which apparently had been one too many. It was days like these he wondered what ever possessed him to keep the damned thing; it belonged in a scrap yard, or with someone who could properly take care of it.

His head bounced off the steering wheel with a gentle thud as he closed his eyes and smacked at the dashboard, as though hitting it would fix the problem. In one last desperate attempt, he turned the key over but nothing happened—not even a pathetic clank or pop from the exhaust.

It was no use. He was stranded.

He was only about twenty minutes out of town, so he reached for his cell phone that was charging in the cup holder, but he paused after unlocking the screen and frowned. It dawned on him that there wasn't anyone he could call to drive out and get him. Releasing a frustrated sigh, he scrounged around the glove box until he located his old Triple-A membership card that was sandwiched between a wad of unused napkins and the owner's manual, which was still sealed away in pristine condition in the original plastic bag it came in when the car was passed on to him years ago.

_Huh, _he thought as he dialed the number. If only he'd taken the time to crack open the manual once in a blue moon, then maybe he wouldn't be in this mess.

The lady on the other end of the line was pleasant enough, but when she mentioned the name of the towing company that would be dispatched out to him, he couldn't shake the feeling that he'd heard of the name before.

To pass the time, he gathered up the rest of his belongings and anything of remote value and grabbed his laptop case from the backseat. There was no telling how long his car would be in the shop, so it was probably best to just take everything. After what seemed like hours (but was no more than ten minutes), a low rumble followed by a loud bang caused him to glance into the rearview mirror just in time to catch sight of an old, dingy tow truck as it pulled up behind him.

Peeta reached over to pop the trunk and grabbed his laptop case and phone before doing one last scan of the interior. As he slammed the door shut, he caught a glimpse of the driver and shook his head.

_Typical_.

The man took a not-so-discreet sip from a sliver flask before hopping down from the driver seat to greet Peeta. "Cars always choose the most inconvenient times to break down, don't they?"

"You're telling me," Peeta said as he grabbed his weekend bag from the trunk and slammed it shut. "Thanks for coming out so fast."

"No problem, what kind of shady operation would I be running if I wasn't on call twenty-four seven?" A corner of the man's mouth rose into a crooked grin. "Why don't you toss your bags in the truck and get settled? This shouldn't take more than a few minutes to get hooked up," he said as he started to lower the towing hook.

Peeta nodded and made his way to the passenger side to open the door. He held his breath as he hoisted himself up into the cab of the tow truck, taking a quick glance around before placing his bags on the center console and settling into the seat. The floor and dash were littered with empty plastic bottles and crushed Styrofoam coffee cups, balled-up napkins were strewn everywhere, and he kicked away a crumpled up Wendy's bag to make room for his laptop case. He released a deep breath as he shook his head.

He cringed as he reached over to buckle himself in, somewhat concerned as to what filth most likely covered the strap of the seat belt that rested against his clean, white button-up shirt. He hadn't thought to pack another in favor of travelling light, but when he looked down and noticed a brown and grey stain across the front of the strap and the distinct smell of oil radiating off of it, he frowned. When he lifted the belt off his chest and found it had left a mark, his cursed under his breath. _Great._ Just what he needed—a dry cleaning bill to go with his garage bill.

The sound of the winch reeling in caused Peeta to startle. He checked again to make sure his phone was tucked into the front pocket of his laptop case, but when he pulled it out he was disappointed to find that he had only one bar of power remaining. It was then he remembered that he'd left his charger at home, thinking he'd only need his car charger for the weekend. What else could go wrong?

As he tucked his phone back into his bag, the driver's side door swung open and in hopped the man. "You ain't from around here, are ya?" he said as he eyed Peeta's attire. He could tell by the way the man arched an eyebrow that he was no doubt branding him a city slicker by the look of his crisp starched shirt, gray slacks, and dress shoes.

Peeta sighed. He didn't always dress like this. In fact, he hated dressing up. It was only when he met with his lawyer or accountant that he felt the need to upgrade from his usual worn-in jeans and plaid shirt combo. After his meeting earlier in the day had run late, he couldn't be bothered to change. He was in a hurry to hit the road and start the two-hour drive back to his hometown. Besides, he had promised Delly he'd make it back in time to meet up with her for dinner.

"Actually," Peeta said as he began to roll up the sleeves of his shirt. "I grew up here."

"You don't say!"

"Yeah, my father ran the bakery in town."

"Mellark's?" the man asked as he turned his head to give Peeta a second glance. "You're Jeb's son. I thought you looked familiar!" The scruffy man's face fell not moment later, taking on a serious look as he pursed his lips. "Your father was a good man, the whole town loved him."

Peeta smiled back with a nod but remained quiet.

It'd been two years since his father passed, which meant it'd been two years since he'd last been home. As much as he hated to admit it, there was nothing left for him here, except for an empty storefront and an empty house that held too many memories, good and bad, for Peeta to deal with. But he couldn't stay away forever, and those two exceptions were the reason of his return home.

After his father's funeral, both the bakery and the house sat idle while Peeta decided what was to become of them. The thought of moving back home crossed his mind on more than one occasion; he could fulfill his childhood dream of taking over the bakery and move into his old house. But at the time, it was too much too soon. Timing had never been on his side, and he was torn between his past and his potential future when he'd finally started to make a name for himself out in the city with his artwork. He wasn't ready for a career change quite yet…or at least that's what he kept telling himself.

The flicker of a flame caught Peeta's attention. "You don't mind, do you?" the man asked, although it didn't really matter considering the man was already puffing out a billowy cloud of smoke before Peeta could answer. _Great._ His stained shirt just wouldn't be complete without also smelling like an ashtray.

It wasn't long before he was desperate to open a window, his nostrils burning from the cigarette smoke, combined with the distinct scent of alcohol that was quite discernible on the man's rancid breath. Peeta swallowed back the building urge to puke as they continued down the highway at a painstakingly slow speed. At this rate, he was definitely not making it back in time for dinner with Delly.

_What a great homecoming, _he thought as they passed the town's welcome sign that hadn't changed since he was a boy—not that he expected it to. It was one of the few constants in his life that he could rely on, and in a way it was comforting.

After a few turns, they pulled up to the front of a dilapidated old building, the flickering streetlight above casting an almost strobe light effect on the sign overhead. _Abernathy's Garage_. The name finally clicked as Peeta put two and two together. Haymitch Abernathy. Veteran and town drunk. Or was. The man appeared to have cleaned himself up enough to make better use of his time.

"Why don't you head on inside and make yourself comfortable. I'll just drop your car off at the back and I'll be with you in about ten minutes."

Peeta left the man with a nod and collected his bags.

The strong scent of burnt coffee and motor oil invaded his nostrils the moment he swung open the door, expecting to find the interior in a similar state of disarray as the tow truck. However, the dimly lit waiting room was tidy and the floors were spotless. He settled into a seat in the far corner next to a door that was ajar and took the opportunity to check his messages, not surprised to find two already waiting for him from Delly.

As he typed out an apologetic response with his regrets that he wasn't going to make it to dinner, his foot began to tap in time with the rhythm of a familiar song that played from behind the door. To pass the time, he riffled through the collection of magazines on the table, hoping to find something entertaining. He didn't recognize any of the titles but eventually settled on an outdoor life magazine with a large deer posing majestically on the cover. His mind was elsewhere as he thumbed through the pages, glancing at the pictures and skimming the captions.

The weekend was going to be a trying and exhausting one, and it was already off to a great start.

He checked his phone after a while for the time, thinking ten minutes had passed by now since there was still no sign of Haymitch. Ten minutes turned to fifteen and fifteen turned to twenty. He grew antsy, his foot bouncing off the linoleum floor in time with the muffled beat from the music still coming from behind the door. All he wanted to do was get home and out of his clothes and maybe order in a pizza before crashing headfirst into his childhood bed. There was still a lot of work to be done around the house and he only had two days.

His ears perked up and his train of thought derailed when he heard a voice—a distinctly female voice—singing harmony along with the song playing in the background. An odd familiarity about the voice caused goose bumps to form along his arms and with his curiosity piqued, he abandoned his seat and crept over to the crack in the door, peering through in hopes of catching a glimpse of the voice's owner.

He couldn't see much from the poor lighting and a large toolbox that obstructed his view—he needed a better vantage point. He glanced over his shoulder and scanned the waiting room for any sign of Haymitch before sucking in a breath and slowly easing the door open a few more inches. As he brought his face closer to peer through the crack, a loud crash, followed by a string of expletives, caused him to stumble forward and reach for the door handle to steady himself. By the time he righted himself he could feel the heat creep up the back of his neck, certain that he'd been caught red-handed sneaking around and spying on the mysterious songstress. But he couldn't see anyone around, only the back of his car and the two black racing stripes on the hood that was propped open.

He took a few tentative steps further into the room and circled around his car, unsure of what to expect, but he stopped dead in his tracks when he spotted a petite figure bent over the front of his car, wielding a wrench as she released another round of curses. He couldn't help but be drawn to the woman's backside, and even in loose coveralls the curves of her ass were apparent.

Not wanting to push his luck and get caught creeping around and staring like a peeping Tom, he cleared his throat and crossed his arms behind his back. When she didn't look up to acknowledge his presence, he tried again, a little louder this time as he took another step toward her. Still, the woman didn't move.

"Excuse me?" he finally said, raising his voice above the music and releasing his hands from behind his back, shoving them into his pockets.

The woman finally straightened, flipping her braid onto her back as she turned to greet him with a hardened scowl. But his breath caught in his throat the moment her stormy grey eyes locked on to his.

_Holy shit._

Off all the places he could have ended up tonight, here he was, standing face to face with Katniss Everdeen. Perhaps fate had finally thrown him a bone and his timing had taken a turn in his favor.

He stared back at her, slack-jawed and wide-eyed as his mind went blank. She continued to stare right back at him, her eyes narrowing as she looked him over. Did she even know who he was? He wouldn't be surprised if she didn't; it's not like he'd made any sort of impression on her at any point in time, good or bad. But her eyes eventually softened as she opened her mouth to say something but remained quiet. He too was coming up short for words, at a complete loss as he took her in.

_Damn_. The years had been good to her. Really good. Better than good.

"What are you doing back here?" she finally asked, her tone flat as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Sorry, I, uh, was just looking for Haymitch. He said he'd meet me out front after dropping off my car but, uh, he never showed up."

She looked to the car and then back over to him and said, "So this is yours?"

"Unfortunately yes, although maybe it's time I got rid of the piece of junk." He laughed nervously in hopes of cutting some of the tension, or whatever it was that was causing the air between them to thicken.

"It's a 1969 Chevy Camaro with a Turbo Hydra-Matic 350."

"Um, yeah, it is," he replied casually, although the year of the make was news to him and he had no fucking clue what a Turbo Hydra-Matic 350 was. All he really knew about the car was that it was orange, his favorite color, and that it'd seen better days.

"So then you'd know it's a classic muscle car…not a piece of junk." Despite her small frame and short stature, her challenging stance, in combination with her intimidating stare, made it known that she wasn't impressed with him. "And Haymitch got called out for another pickup, so don't expect him back any time soon."

"Uh, ok, thanks." He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, unsure of what to do or say next. "So, um, about my car…"

"Right, well, there's oil under your distributor cap," she said as she motioned under the hood of the car.

Peeta took a few tentative steps forward to stand next to her, the distinct smell of oil and something else—coconut?—filling his nose as she leaned in to rest her hands up on the hood. He chanced another brief glance at her before turning his attention back to the car, but he stared blankly at the maze of hoses and tubes, unsure if what she was talking about was supposed to mean something to him. He released a steady breath, trying to control the erratic thumping of his heart, still in shock from standing less than two feet away from Katniss Everdeen.

"Your distributor cap…" she tried again. He watched from the corner of his eye as she set down the wrench and fished out a rag from the back pocket of her coveralls.

He stared with rapt fascination as she wiped off her hands and then proceeded to lightly dab at the column of her neck and down along her collarbone and then towards the back of her shoulder. Even after wiping off her hands, he could see that her hands were still slightly blackened. Obviously after working around cars all day, the grease and oil she had to deal with had probably soaked into her skin. He wondered if it came off with just soap and water, or if she had to scrub it off with some special solvent. The image of her innocently washing her hands suddenly spiraled out of control and before he knew it he was picturing her as she stood under a steady stream of hot water, cupping her breasts with the palms of her hands before lathering up every inch of her body.

_Fuck_. He was such a pervert.

She arched an eyebrow at him as she tossed the dirty rag into a bin behind her, his silence no doubt leading her to believe he was a complete moron. He cleared his throat as he came to his senses and finally found his voice. "M-my what?"

"Your distributor cap," she repeated slowly as he straightened up to rest his hands against the edge of the car. She turned her head briefly, but when she took note of his bewildered expression, a hint of amusement tugged at the corner of her mouth. "There's oil under the distributor cap…which means there's a leak somewhere…"

Peeta furrowed his brow and nodded his head as she trailed off, still completely lost as to what she was talking about. If only he'd paid more attention in auto class back when he was in high school then maybe he wouldn't be standing here feeling like an absolute idiot. And her piercing stare wasn't helping any either.

She waited for a response, but when she didn't get one, she continued, "It's preventing the spark plugs from firing up…which in turn starts the engine…hence why your car won't start." She reached into her back pocket again, but this time she produced a clean white rag and tossed it at him with a smirk. "You got some grease on your hands; wouldn't want to ruin that fancy white shirt of yours, now would you?"

He caught the scrap of fabric against his chest and frowned. She was mocking him. The evidence that his shirt was already ruined by that damn seat belt from the tow truck was obvious. And it was even more obvious that she thought he was a pretentious city kid who'd somehow ended up stranded out in the boonies—although the second part was somewhat true.

When Peeta didn't answer, she turned to rest her backside against the car, crossing her arms over her chest. He tried to be inconspicuous as his eyes raked down her body, starting at the exposed skin of her neck which lead to her prominent collarbone and bare shoulders that were slick from the humidity of the confined space. His gaze continued further down to the white tank top that was stretched taut against her chest, the definition of her curves through the thin material confirming that she'd most definitely filled out over the years. The hem of her tank top stopped just above her navel, the dip of her bellybutton barely visible between her top and the arms of her coveralls that she had knotted tight around her waist. He sucked in his bottom lip as he admired the shape of her hips and the way they moved as she shifted her weight from side to side.

At the sound of her throat clearing, Peeta's eyes shot back up to find her staring back at him, a cocky grin spreading across her face as she picked up the wrench once again and twirled it about her finger. "So as I was saying, the problem is that your central shaft is worn, which is allowing oil to leak into your distributor…hence no spark to ignite your engine."

Oh, there was a spark all right. She was standing right in front of him and had already succeeded at setting off a chain reaction that left a blazing trail straight to his groin. And that damn knot just below her navel was like a beacon directing his gaze straight between her thighs. He ran a shaky hand through his hair before it came to rest along the back of his neck where he discreetly tried to wipe away the perspiration that had started to collect against his skin, not from the humidity of the muggy garage but rather the way she was staring him down while waiting for a response.

"Um, so how much will it cost? To fix my shaft…I mean distributor…or whatever it's called…" _Shit._ He could feel his face turning beet red as he trailed off hopelessly.

She chuckled and shot him a wry smile. "I'm sure we can work out a deal."

"Right, but how will I know if you're trying to screw me—" He sucked in a breath as she took a step closer towards him, leaning in close until her entire body hovered just inches away from his as she reached for something off the shelf behind him,"—over," he said under his breath, the end of his sentence coming out as more of a hopeful statement than a question.

"Oh, trust me," she said as she retracted her hand, the knuckle of her thumb grazing along his forearm, just below his rolled up sleeve. "You'd know."

Peeta could feel her warm breath against his face and when he inhaled, the crisp scent of wintergreen invaded his senses. His gaze dropped to her mouth where he caught a flash of dark green between her teeth as she chewed on her gum slowly. The hypnotic motion of her mouth caused his to water as he wondered if her lips and tongue tasted just as sweet as the smell of her breath.

"Normally this would be something I could fix in no time. Only problem is, I don't have the parts I need to fix it tonight. I can put a call in to have them here tomorrow, but it looks like you'll be out of a ride for the better part of the weekend."

"Oh, uh, right."

It wasn't such a big deal not having his car. Besides, he planned to spend most of the day tomorrow packing up the rest of the things he wanted to keep from the house. Then he planned to clean it from top to bottom to get it "show ready" for the real estate agent who had said she'd be by on Sunday afternoon to pick up the keys and start parading potential buyers through on Monday.

Once again, he was faced with the issue of how to get home. Delly didn't own a car, and he was drawing a blank as to which of his childhood friends still lived in the area. Not that it mattered; he didn't have anyone's phone number anyway. After leaving District 12 to attend art school in the city, he had slowly lost touch with his friends from home. It wasn't intentional; the fast-paced lifestyle and culture of the city combined with his desire to get his name out there and start building his portfolio was consuming and at times exhausting, leaving little time to return home to visit with his father, let alone catch up with his friends.

Besides his father, there was a short list of people he actually cared to see again during his occasional visits home. And the person at the top of that list didn't even know he existed. Until now.

"So is there someone who can come pick you up?" she asked.

"Uh, no. I guess I'll need to call a cab."

"Right." Her lips pursed as she rolled the handle of the wrench in her hand.

Peeta retrieved his phone from his back pocket, but when he touched the home screen to bring it to life, nothing happened. _Great_. He ran his free hand through his hair again before shoving the phone back in his pants. "Is there a phone I can use? Mine seems to have died."

He watched as Katniss gnawed on her bottom lip, her eyes shifting from the floor to his car a few times as though she was considering something. "Listen, my shift ends in about fifteen minutes. I'm heading back into town after, so I can give you a lift if you want."

"Yeah, that'd be great, thanks! But uh, you sure you're okay giving rides to strangers?" He smiled and hoped the playfulness in his voice was obvious enough for her to catch on, and that he indeed was harmless.

She wrinkled her nose and shot him a curious glance. "Your dad's place is on my way home. I'm assuming that's where you're staying, right?"

His eyes widened…she knew who he was? "Um, yeah, at my old house, but…you know where I live?"

"Peeta, we went to school together. We'd been in the same class since kindergarten, and I'm pretty sure every kid growing up knew where the baker lived."

"Right," he answered, still shocked that she recognized him and even a little thrilled that she did. Maybe she hadn't been completely oblivious over the years to his presence, but then again, everyone knew his father and by association everyone knew he was the "baker's son."

Katniss looked away and blew out a heavy breath, the expression on her face hard to read. "You probably don't remember me, but I'm—"

"Katniss…Katniss Everdeen," he interrupted, a shy smile playing on his lips as he stared directly into her eyes. "Of course I remember you."

How could he forget? She had the starring role in the majority of his boyhood fantasies for as long as he could remember, not to mention she had been the subject of most of his sketches. But who was he kidding—she still was. He always thought he'd been pretty clear about his interest in her throughout most of high school when he'd finally grown the balls to act on his feelings. He was certain she'd caught him staring at her from across the classroom or in the hallway by their lockers on more than once occasion, but she never acknowledged him.

Perhaps fate was tossing him a second chance. A second chance to clear his conscience and finally tell her how he felt—still feels—about her.

He took a deep breath. "Katniss—"

"Everdeen!" The gruff voice of the tow truck driver echoed through the garage, causing Peeta to jump in his skin.

A faint smile tugged at her lips, but her face turned serious and she took a step back when the surly old man reappeared from the front of the shop.

"Back so soon, old man?" she said flatly, tossing the wrench onto the workbench behind her.

"Yeah, false alarm." He looked between Peeta and Katniss, a wry smiling spreading across his face as though he'd just interrupted something. "You 'bout done in here? I'm ready to call it night, whatdya say, Sweetheart?"

Katniss nodded before turning her back to Peeta, striding back over to his car to release the hood. "Yeah, should be able to have it up and running by tomorrow." She leaned back against the front of the car and folded her arms across her chest.

"You gotta ride, boy?" Haymitch asked.

Peeta looked over to Katniss quickly before dropping his gaze to the floor and rubbing the back of his neck. "I, uh, yeah, I think so."

"You can wait up front if you want. I wouldn't blame you. Company around here tends to be a little rough around the edges." Haymitch cut a sarcastic glace over at Katniss, who responded with a roll of her eyes.

"No, that's alright," Peeta said, trying to keep a straight face as Katniss flipped her boss the bird when his back was turned. "I'll just wait back here. My ride's about ready to leave."

Haymitch shot him a knowing look before glancing between them one last time. "Suit yourself." As he turned to stagger back to the front of the shop, he swore he heard the old drunk mutter under his breath, "Damn kids."

Peeta turned back to Katniss, but froze in place when he saw her reach for the knot at her waist and begin to undo it. _Holy fuck_. Was she seriously going to undress in front of him? He couldn't avert his eyes even if he tried, and he watched with heated anticipation as she dropped the coveralls, wondering if she wore the plain white cotton panties he pictured in all his fantasies or something a little more…exotic. He chided himself though and shook his head when he realized she was wearing a pair of jeans underneath, but it was too late. His body had already betrayed him and he tried to inconspicuously shift the growing bulge in his pants.

"Alright, why don't you go grab your stuff and meet me out back," she said as she tossed her coveralls into another bin, completely unaware that he'd just been ogling her like a horny teenager. "My car is the only one in the lot. I'll put in the call for your parts and I'll be out in a few minutes."

After quickly filling out some paperwork with his contact information at the front desk, he collected his laptop and overnight bag and bid farewell to Haymitch, who was sitting back in his chair with his boots propped up against the wall and his silver flask in hand. The man mumbled something that Peeta didn't quite catch as he tossed the papers on top of a pile. Haymitch grinned back at Peeta, raising his flask before taking a long drag from the spout. Peeta shook his head as he let himself out the front door and made his way to the back parking lot. _Some people never change_.

His heart began to race again when he spotted Katniss already waiting for him by an old Jeep. He was slightly taken aback by the lack of doors and roof, wondering if the steel bars that appeared to act as a roll cage were really necessary. But then again, this was Katniss Everdeen—she lived and breathed the outdoors, so in actuality her choice of vehicle suited her entirely.

"Just toss your stuff in the back," she said over her shoulder as she hopped into the driver's seat, her glossy black braid whipping around to hang down over the back of the seat cushions. After taking a deep breath to collect himself, he climbed into the passenger seat and smiled to himself when she turned the FM dial to the old rock station his father used to listen to in the bakery.

As they made their way out onto the highway, she absentmindedly tapped out a rhythm along the steering wheel with her fingers. She seemed to be content with the lack of conversation, but it made him anxious. There were so many questions he wanted to ask her, the most pressing whether or not she was single, but he wasn't sure how to go about it without sounding like a creep. _Casual_, he thought. _Start out casual._

"So, if you don't mind me asking, how'd you end up working at the auto shop? And with Haymitch of all people?"

She turned her head and narrowed her eyes. "Why, is there something wrong with being a mechanic?"

"No, no, not at all, that's uh, not what I meant. I just thought…that you, uh…"

_Damn it_. So much for keeping it casual.

Here he was, Peeta Mellark, known for his skills of capturing an audience and schmoozing a crowd, reduced to the bumbling tenth grader he was back in high school all because he was sitting next to Katniss Everdeen, who was completely oblivious to the effect she was having on him.

Katniss chuckled. "I didn't aspire to become a mechanic if that's what you're asking. I went to college and ended up graduating with a science degree. So being a mechanic isn't my day job. I'm just helping Haymitch out since one of his guys quit last month."

"Oh, well that's nice of you. So, what's your day job then?"

"I work in the parks department for the district."

"That's great!" He couldn't contain his smile knowing that she was completely in her element out in the woods and that the job suited her perfectly.

"So what about you? How are things going with the art career?"

"It's going. I had a showing last month that I was hoping would get me in touch with a few other potential buyers, but I, uh…haven't heard anything back yet."

She took him off guard when she released her hand from the gear shift to reach over and squeeze his hand, which rested on top of his thigh. "Yeah, I heard about your show, but I wouldn't worry about it if I were you."

The unexpected contact caused his head to spin, the soft skin of her fingers burning an invisible print onto the back of his hand. The thrumming of his heart picked up as he considered turning his palm over to grab hold of her hand, but that would be crossing the line, he was sure of it. But she didn't remove her hand and neither did he. Instead, he tried to remain calm as he responded in a controlled voice. "You knew about that?"

He spied a blush creep across her face as she shifted in her seat, finally moving her hand back to the shifter and staring out at the road in front of her. "Well, yeah, it was in the paper. You're one of the biggest things to come out of the district, so the papers like to keep tabs on you every once in a while."

He watched her in awe, completely taken aback by the fact that over the years she, of all people, had paid attention to his career. Despite the sudden change in her demeanor, he silently willed her to look back at him, hoping to find sincerity in her eyes with regards to her unexpected curiously about him. Unfortunately the moment had passed, and silence once again filled the space between them.

Before he knew it, they had turned down the familiar street he'd grown up on. Nothing looked different, except for perhaps a few trees that had grown or a house here or there that looked to have been weathered from the elements over the years.

As they pulled up to the darkened house, Peeta couldn't help but hold his breath as a wave of emotions flooded his mind. There were so many memories locked up in that house, some bad, some good, but the one thing he was most anxious about was walking through the door where he was certain to be greeted by an overwhelming sense of loneliness. And right now he really didn't want to be alone.

Katniss cleared her throat as if sensing his hesitation. "So, any plans for the weekend?"

Her question caught him off guard. She was making a habit of it today apparently. "Well, I was supposed to meet up with Delly tonight for dinner—"

"Delly Cartwright?" Her eyes widened and the hint of shock—and disappointment?—in her voice caused him to cringe. Did he say something wrong?

"Um…yeah…" he trailed off, sinking back into the seat.

Her face hardened momentarily before she forced an apologetic smile. "Well, I'm sorry your missed your date."

"Oh, no, it was nothing like that," he quickly replied, the disappointed look upon her face softening as he continued. "Delly's been kind enough to look after the bakery and the house while I've been away. We were just meeting up so she could give me back her set of keys. I'm, uh, putting them both up for sale next week."

Katniss's grip on the steering wheel visibly tightened before she looked away from him, her eyes staring out through the windshield. "Oh."

When she didn't look back at him or attempt to say anything else, he took it as his cue to leave. He inched his way off the seat and hopped down to the sidewalk, pausing to glance back at her one more time before retrieving his bags from the back.

The underlying awkwardness of their conversation did little to ease the apprehension between them. He didn't want to leave her like this, not when the growing urge to set the record straight about his feelings was eating away at his sanity. Besides, this was his second chance, wasn't it? He'd be a fool not to take. He set down his bags and steadied his nerves.

"Katniss," he started, her face turning at the sound of his voice. "Are you busy tomorrow? I mean, besides fixing my car that is, but afterwards?"

There. She was in the driver's seat now—physically _and_ figuratively speaking. It was all up to her as to where they went from here, and he hoped to God that he wasn't reading too much into the signals he thought he was seeing.

She stared at him, her grey eyes unyielding as to what was going on behind her unreadable face. Her silence was slowly yet surely chipping away at his waning confidence, and he ran a shaky hand through his hair as he sucked in a breath and held it.

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why?"

_Shit._ She was going to make him come out and say it.

"Well, if you're not busy, I was wondering if maybe you, uh, wanted to do something…with me…" She arched a curious eyebrow at him as he began to rock back and forth on his heels. "That is, if you're not busy," he repeated again, his voice rushed and flustered. "Or seeing anyone of course..."

"Actually, yeah, I am."

His face fell immediately, the unforeseen feel of rejection hitting him square in the chest like a Mac truck. Of course she was seeing someone, why on earth would she be single? Despite his crushed hopes and his wounded pride, he quickly recovered with a tight smile and curt nod of his head.

"That's cool, um, never mind. I guess I'll see you when I pick up my car then." He muttered a casual "good-bye" as he dragged a heavy foot against the sidewalk, turning to pick his bags up off the ground.

"No wait!" she shouted, causing him to spin back around to face her. "That's not what I meant, I, uh, I mean no, I'm not seeing anyone, but yeah I have plans…but uh, you can join me…if you really want to…" She dropped her gaze as she trailed off and reached up to toy with the end of her braid.

His chest filled with renewed hope and a slow smile crept across his face as he watched her; the way she was fidgeting was adorable and it made him realize that maybe he wasn't delusional with reading her before.

"Katniss," he said firmly to capture her attention, and she looked up. He took a step towards the Jeep and grinned. "Of course I want to, I'm the one that asked you in the first place, remember?"

She finally smiled back at him, her nose crinkling as she nodded her head. "Right."

"So, uh, normally I'd say I'll pick you up, but I guess given the circumstances, that's not really an option." He chuckled as he scratched his nose with the back of his thumb.

"Don't worry, no need for formalities, it's not like this is a date…or anything…"

Peeta's smile faltered at her words, but the way she left her statement hanging in the air made him wonder if perhaps she'd done it on purpose, leaving the interpretation completely up to him.

_But if it wasn't a date, then what was it?_

Before he could begin to process the meaning behind it, she cleared her throat and lowered her hand to the gear shift. "So, how about I pick you up around four?"

"Yeah, sounds good!" Despite the vagueness she'd left him with, Peeta couldn't hold back the shit-eating grin that was threatening to split his face as he finally pried himself away from the vehicle. "So, uh, where are you taking me?"

"It's a surprise."

Katniss grinned back at him as the Jeep roared back to life, the mischievous glint in her eye sending a bolt of electricity to shoot up his spine before she winked.

"Don't worry, city boy, I promise I'll keep you alive."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Hello again! I wrote this story as part of the Stories 2 Save Lives (S2SL) fundraiser that my dear friend Streetlightlove hosted back in February, if you're not familiar with it I would suggest checking it out over on tumblr at S2SL :) Although this story was written as a one shot I will be posting it as four chapters here. I hope you enjoy it! Huge thanks to the wonderful Court for really pushing me on this one and keeping me motivated until I was happy with it and thanks to Dispathesfromdistrict7 for being an extra pair of well needed eyes and of course to Ro Nordmann for the cover art (she always blows me away!). All of these talented ladies have also written pieces for this wonderful charity event that you should definitely check out. Lastly, all the awards go to the amazing Streetlightlove and her husband for their time and effort in organizing this wonderful event! Thank you so much for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** This fanfic is rated 'M' for language and sexual content. I do not own any of the characters of The Hunger Games (although I wish I did).

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After Katniss had left him on the curb in front of his house, Peeta wondered if her parting wink was her way of tipping him off that she was aware of the state she'd left him in: awestruck…and with a raging hard-on.

Upon entering the empty house, he dropped his bags at the door and made a beeline straight for the stairs, taking two steps at a time as he raced up to the second floor and locked himself in the bathroom. He peeled off his stuffy clothes and settled in for a long hot shower, feeling only slightly ashamed for picturing Katniss in her tiny little tank top and coveralls as he jerked himself off. Needless to say he slept well that night, better than he had in months…years even, and it was all thanks to her.

The next morning he spent on the phone, juggling calls between galleries interested in showcasing his latest paintings and his father's accountant who was busy tying up the final pieces of paperwork for the sale of the bakery. The last call left him uneasy, as though he was about to lose a part of himself after tomorrow when he was expected to sign off on the deal, but deep down he knew this was long overdue. It was a disservice to his father's reputation to keep the family bakery closed any longer. It had always been a place of warmth and life, and seeing it dark and empty—well, he knew it was wrong. The place was better off in the hands of someone more capable, who could dedicate the time and effort it required. Just like his car.

They were the remaining things in this world that he associated wholly with his father—the bakery and his car, and it was the main reason why he'd put off selling either for so long. But after this weekend, all he'd have left was his car and the bittersweet memories that came with it.

To pass the time until Katniss was to arrive, Peeta started on the arduous task of going about the house, sifting through the years worth of stuff that had accumulated in each room and packing up anything of sentimental value. He tried to not get emotional as he went through his parent's bedroom, carefully boxing up cherished framed photos and his father's old apron, but at times Peeta had to pause and take a break, more for his own sanity than fatigue.

Although he kept busy for most of the morning, his mind kept drifting to the possibilities of what Katniss had in store for their…non-date. He still hadn't figured out what to call it, whatever it was they were doing, but maybe it was better that way. Less complicated.

From what he could remember, Katniss had been big into archery and hunting and pretty much anything that dealt with the outdoors. He recalled the magazine he'd flipped through while in the waiting room of the auto shop and realized it was most likely hers. Perhaps she was taking him to the shooting range. But then again, the thought of witnessing her archery skills in action was downright sexy, and if luck was on his side, maybe she'd suggest teaching him how to shoot with a bow.

When 3:45 rolled around, he sighed in relief and waited in the living room by the front window, wondering if his choice of a t-shirt and shorts was a good idea. But this was Katniss; she lived and breathed the outdoors so he was certain they'd be spending the afternoon outside.

At two minutes to 4:00, the rumble of an engine caught his attention as Katniss's Jeep came into view and rolled to a stop in front of the house. He was on his feet when she honked the horn twice, grabbing his wallet and keys off the coffee table before he locked the door behind him and made a conscience attempt to slow his eager steps.

Although she'd left it vague as to the details of their "non-date", he couldn't help but feel the first time jitters as if it was an actual date. The twist in his gut and the increasing dampness of his palms were obvious as he approached the vehicle.

"Hey," she greeted with a playful smile, tapping the empty seat beside her. As he hopped in he caught a quick glimpse of her cut-off jeans, and he smiled to himself at the sight of her plaid shirt and white tank top that peeked out from underneath. Her hair was pulled back in her signature braid and as a breeze blew by he caught a brief whiff of coconut, the immediate association between her and the scent already forming in his mind.

"So, where are we off to?" he asked as she started the engine and they pulled away from the curb.

"Nuh uh, no hints. I told you it was a surprise."

Peeta held up his hands in defeat as they turned down the street that led to the highway. He leaned back and enjoyed the ride, the wind blowing through the cab of the Jeep without the obstruction of a roof…or doors. It was a little hard to get used to at first, barreling down the highway in a vehicle without doors, but after awhile he realized that it was somewhat liberating. Besides, he loved the way the loose strands of hair whipped around Katniss's face, carefree and wild—just like her.

"So, how's my car looking?"

Katniss fiddled with a knob on the dash until she was satisfied and then look over. "Actually, they forgot a part in the shipment this morning and by the time I left the shop it still hadn't come in. Haymitch said he'd pick it up so I could finish later on tonight."

"Oh, uh, sorry about that," he muttered. He couldn't help but feel responsible and guilty that he was the reason for her having to go back into work on a Saturday night. He was sure she had much better things to do with her free time than fix his car, and besides, who was to say that their "non-date" couldn't spill over into the evening?

"Don't be. It's not your fault." Her reassuring smile helped to alleviate some of his guilt. "Besides, that car of yours is a dream to work on. I've always wanted one you know, just like yours. Although I'd take one in green."

"Is green your favorite color?" he ventured, wondering if it was a piece of information he should tuck away in his memory for later.

"Yeah, and let me guess…yours is orange?"

Peeta nodded. "The car was my dad's though, so the color's a coincidence. He was so proud of himself the day he brought it home, but you should have seen the look on my mom's face." He shook his head and chuckled at the memory. "She was livid, and she lectured him on how there were healthier ways to deal with a mid-life crisis than wasting their hard earned cash on a pile of scrap metal. It took her a few days but she finally relented when he said it was an investment, a long term project for my brother's and me…but, uh, it kinda got put on hold after the, uh, accident."

He wasn't sure why he'd broached the subject. Even though he'd made peace with it years ago, it was a topic he didn't consciously choose to remember. He easily could have glossed over it, but something about Katniss's presence made it seem safe to do so. Besides, she knew what he was talking about, everyone in town knew.

The accident that claimed the lives of his mother and two older brothers while on their way back from an out of town wrestling tournament was deemed "a horrific tragedy" by the newspaper headlines. Peeta and his father had struggled to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives, and over the years a lot of things had fallen to the wayside and were forgotten. One such thing was the car that sat in their garage, collecting dust but still harboring painful memories of what could have been.

"So anyway," Peeta continued with a wave of his hand, his voice dismissive in an attempt to lighten the mood. "It was a total surprise when I came home one day for a visit and found the car parked out in the driveway and my dad tinkering away beneath the hood. When I asked him why he hadn't just sold the thing already to make some room in the garage he said, 'You'll thank me for this one day'."

Peeta paused as he considered his father's words. Then he smiled to himself when it finally dawned on him. _Huh._ His father was right.

He looked over to Katniss who was still listening to him quietly, and when she glanced over to find him staring at her, their eyes locked as they shared a moment of mutual understanding. The urge to reach over and tuck a rogue strand of hair behind her ear was overwhelming, and so he fisted his hands against the hem of his shorts instead.

"Thank you," he eventually said.

"For what?"

"You know what for," he answered with a tight smile and she nodded in response.

She knew exactly what he was talking about; he could see it in her eyes. Katniss was no more a stranger to loss than he was. They'd both suffered the loss of a parent and siblings, but at least his surviving parent had stuck around for the aftermath instead of mentally checking out for years after like hers. Sympathy was the last thing he wanted from anyone, or to be reminded of how little control he had over what had happened. But Katniss understood, and he respected her for it.

Neither one of them spoke as they continued down the empty road. For once in his life the silence didn't bother him, but rather he found comfort in it and he knew it was because it was spent with her.

When they reached the town limits, she turned down a dirt road that ran parallel to an outcrop of trees. He'd only been out this way a few times before when he was a teenager, when he and his high school buddies used to sneak out to the woods for a night of underage drinking. But when they passed the entrance to the park where he thought they were headed, he looked over to her and narrowed his eyes.

She laughed in response to his worried face. "You ever been mudding?"

"Have I ever been _what_?"

She chuckled. "I'll take that as a 'no' then."

It didn't take long for Peeta to learn what "mudding" was. He should have known it was exactly what the name suggested. When he asked her if it was legal, she laughed out loud and assured him that it was. She explained that she and her friends from work had found a secluded meadow out in the woods one day after a heavy rainstorm and that she'd frequented the spot numerous times before.

He gripped the edge of his seat, his knuckles white and eyes wide, the first time Katniss pushed the gas pedal to the floor, sending them shooting through what he considered a "lake" but what she swore was just a "puddle." He was prepared the second time though, grabbing hold of the metal bars overhead, finally understanding their purpose as she turned abruptly, sending a splash of muddied water into the air as they rolled to a stop. The grin on Katniss's face was priceless and when she dropped her head back against the seat, her hair and face splattered with flecks of mud and her chest shaking as she fell into a fit of giggles. He swore he'd never seen her look more beautiful…or sexy.

The afternoon blew by in a flash and before he knew it, the sun was threatening to begin its descent below the tree line. He didn't want this day to end, didn't want the smile on her face to ever leave. So when she turned to him and asked if he wanted to drive their last run, he found himself nodding dumbly. Only problem was, he didn't have a clue on how to drive manual.

It was a minor detail he should have mentioned as they switched spots and he buckled himself into the driver's seat. He stared down at the dash and pursed his lips; it didn't look much different than his automatic. _How hard could it really be?_ Then he looked down to the gear shift, panic rising in his throat when he realized the gears weren't labeled.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" she asked as she looked over to him, raising an eyebrow expectantly.

Peeta released a shaky laugh and scrubbed his face with his hands, dropping them into his lap in defeat. Who was he kidding? He'd have to come clean; there was no way he'd be able to pull this off. "Um, you're gonna think I'm an idiot, but…I don't know how to drive stick."

He waited for her laughter to ensue, but when it didn't come, he glanced over hesitantly. He somehow felt less of a man for never learning the ins and outs of a manual transmission, but cars were never his thing.

"Really?" Her eyes widened, but then her features softened and she reached over to place her hand on top of his, which was resting on his thigh. "Well then, I'll just have to teach you."

His body stiffened when her pinky finger brushed the inside of his leg, mere inches away from his cock, which was now straining against his shorts. She had to have noticed it and the effect she was having on him, so he held in a breath as she took his hand and placed it on top of the gear shift, urging him to take hold of it.

"OK, see that small pedal down there?" With her free hand, she pointed between his legs to the floorboard. "That's the clutch, I want to you push all the way down on that with your left foot." He did as he was told and waited for the next instruction. "Now, we're currently in neutral and that's where you always want to start." She closed her fingers around his and wiggled the shifter gently. "Feel that? Feel how it moves around freely? That's how you know you're in neutral."

Oh he felt it alright, right in his groin. Peeta swallowed thickly, the feel of her hand around his causing a bead of sweat to form along his temple.

"Ok, so now you can go ahead and start the engine." He took a deep breath and turned the key, jumping slightly in his seat as the Jeep roared to life causing the entire cab of the vehicle to vibrate and hum. "So, while keeping your foot down on the clutch, we're going to shift into first gear. Ready?"

He responded with a shallow bob of his head, his palms already starting to sweat as her grip around his hand tightened again and began to move, pushing the gear shift forward and to the left. "So now we're in first. That wasn't so hard, was it?" Her reassuring smile caused his breath to hitch and he shook his head slightly. It hadn't been hard at all, but he sure was. "Now, I want you to put your right foot on the brake and release the parking brake."

With a shaky hand, he released the parking brake and sucked in a sharp breath, expecting the Jeep to shoot forward. When nothing happened, he sighed in relief and looked over to find her still smiling sweetly at him. "Now, this next part can be a little tricky, I want you to slowly lift off the clutch with your left foot but at the same time, release the brake with your right foot and press down on the accelerator, that'll get us moving. Got it?"

"Got it," he repeated with a firm nod, echoing her works in his head. He could handle that.

Peeta sucked in a deep breath and gripped the steering wheel as he ran through her instructions one last time. When he felt confident enough, he lifted and pressed his feet as she'd instructed, but his heart leapt into his throat when he heard the engine rev loudly and the Jeep shot forward into a puddle of mud ahead of them. He slammed his foot down on the brake and his arm shot out towards Katniss as the Jeep came to an immediate halt.

"Fuck!" he shouted before whipping his head around to make sure she was all right. But he frowned when he found her laughing her head off, struggling for breath as she wiped a tear from her eye.

"Oh my god, you should have seen your face!"

He looked away as another round of laughter overtook her.

"I'm glad my ignorance amuses you," he muttered under his breath, but once his heart had dropped back down into his chest, a smile tugged at his lips. He couldn't stay upset with her, not when she looked so happy and god damn beauitful.

"Sorry, sorry, I'll stop laughing," she said after taking a deep breath. "It's OK, you just let the clutch off too late. Let's try it again."

He stared back at her with wide eyes. "What? You want me to try that again?"

"Hey, it's fine, practice makes perfect, right?" When her eyes dropped momentarily to his mouth, the adrenaline pumping through his veins urged him to lean forward, to capture her lips in a kiss. But the moment passed when she grabbed hold of his hand and placed it on the shifter, ready for him to try again.

Peeta steadied his rapidly beating heart and cleared his mind as they went through the steps again of getting the vehicle in gear and ready to go. This time he was prepared in case they went shooting forward again, but when the Jeep made a horrid grinding noise and they came to an abrupt stop, he cursed out loud in frustration.

"Shit! Did I break it? I'm sorry!"

Katniss was prepared this time too and kept her laughter under control as she grinned back at him. "No, you didn't break it, stop worrying! You just stalled us, but it's no big deal. That's what happens when you let go of the clutch too soon."

He'd stalled them all right—right in the middle of a shin-deep puddle of mud. He looked out the side of the Jeep and sighed. This was why cars weren't his thing.

"Looks like I'm pushing," he said as he reached down to unbuckle his seatbelt.

"Here," she said as she grabbed his shoulder. "Switch spots with me and I'll get us out of this mess." She sat up and gestured for him to maneuver his body back into the passenger's seat.

Once he was seated, she was still standing in front of him, her ass hovering just inches away from his face as she lifted a leg over the center console. _Fuck. _He couldn't take his eyes off her as she shimmied her other leg over and plopped down onto the driver's seat, winking at him as she buckled herself in. His face flushed, knowing full well that he'd been caught staring, but she apparently didn't mind.

True to her word, they were out of the puddle and back onto the highway in no time. During the drive back to his house, he felt like he did when he was a boy in elementary school, stealing secret glances at her as she sung quietly to herself, an ear-to-ear grin plastered across her face.

The entire way he was beaming too, trying not to overanalyze the way she kept throwing him blatant smirks. His body was humming with nervous energy as he debated whether he should kiss her. He really _really_ wanted to, and there had been numerous times throughout the afternoon that he could—_should_—have.

When they pulled up to the front of his house, as dark and quiet as it was the night before, she shut off the engine and sat back in her seat, her hands fidgeting in her lap. The way she chewed on her bottom lip was both endearing and mesmerizing, and the urge to soothe her reddened skin with his lips soon became too much. That was it; he had to make a move.

After steeling his nerves with a deep breath, he carefully leaned over across the center console, lining his face up just inches away from her cheek, but at the last moment, she turned unexpectedly and his lips caught the corner of her mouth awkwardly instead. She reeled back, almost smacking him in the chest with her flailing arm.

"Shit! Sorry!" he gasped, falling back against the seat.

"No! No, it's ok!" She lifted her eyes to meet his and grabbed hold of his arm. "You just took me by surprise, that's all."

"Oh, sorry." The evidence of his embarrassment stained his cheeks as he looked away. _Too forward. __Way__ too forward._ He ran a hand through his damp curls, cursing to himself for screwing up what would have been their first kiss.

He was ready to cut his losses and leave with some semblance of pride for at least trying, but the clearing of her throat caused him to freeze in place.

"Um, can we try that again?" Her question hung in the air as he stared into her eyes blankly, unsure if he'd heard her correctly. "I'm ready now."

As her words sank in, she leaned in slowly, gripping his arm for balance as she reached across the center console to close the short distance between them. But then she stopped, her eyes eager and searching his as she waited for him to try again. His gaze dropped to her lips and his tongue to dart out to moisten his own. This time his lips hit their mark and brushed up against hers, tentatively at first, before she pressed forward, tilting her face as her movements became more purposeful. Her mouth fused to his, warm and soft and everything he'd imagined it'd be…and more. He cupped the side of her face in his hand, and the faint smell of motor oil and coconut mingled with that of the outdoors, which clung to her windblown hair. The result was an unexpected combination that caused a flood of heat to rush to his groin, and he could feel his cock twitch against his thigh.

The effect she was having on him was intoxicating—the way she claimed him, coaxing the seam of his lips to part with her tongue, how she took her time exploring every inch and crevice of his mouth. _Damn, the woman sure knew how to kiss_. She tasted like wintergreen, just as he'd thought, and his mouth started to water just thinking about what the other parts of her body tasted like.

His mind started to wander as he tilted his head the other way and his other hand came up to snake around her neck, pulling her body towards him over the center console. He needed her closer, so much closer. A low groan vibrated at the back of his throat when she finally climbed on top of him, positioning her knees on either side of his hips and sinking down into his lap.

The heat radiating from between her legs seeped into the front of his shorts. _Holy fuck._ He couldn't control his hands as they snaked down the length of her back, on a course set for her ass where he dug his fingers into her soft flesh to keep her where she was. The urge to lift his hips off the seat and press into her was overwhelming, especially when the intensity of her kisses increased and she began to slowly grind her center up and down his erection.

_Slow down, slow down, slow down._ He needed to make this last and get her inside the house. And into his bed.

The movement of her hips suddenly stilled and he felt the warm exhale of breath from her nose before she detached her lips from his briefly. Their eyes met in a heated stare for a fleeting moment before his hungry mouth was on hers again, this time his lips trailing deliberate kisses from the corner of her mouth up along her jaw and then slowly down the column of her neck.

Everything about this felt right. So right.

_Then why was she pulling away?_

"Peeta," she panted breathlessly, shaking her head as she surfaced from her passionate haze. Her features shifted to a mixture of embarrassment and realization and her imploring eyes burned a hole through him as she searched his. "I-I'm so sorry, I don't…uh…normally do this." She shook her head again. "Peeta, what are we doing?"

His mouth hung open for a moment, trying to pull a coherent thought from his addled mind. "I-I don't know," he replied honestly, although the way her face fell made him want to reach over and pull her onto his lap and cradle her against his chest.

What were they doing? It was an honest question, one that deserved an honest answer. His body knew what it wanted, and the longer he stared at her, he was certain that so did his heart. He wanted to keep her, plain and simple.

But he knew it wasn't really that simple. She lived here and his work was in the city. They were leading completely different lives—hers filled with the quiet comforts of a slow paced lifestyle that only came from small town living and his was filled with fake smiles and the exhausting task of upholding a certain façade.

Where did he expect this to go? A one night stand? She deserved more than that, and he sure as hell wanted more than that.

Katniss slowly released her hold on his arms and crawled back to her side of the Jeep, pausing to shake her head before starting the engine. "I should probably go," she whispered as she ran her palms along the worn leather of the steering wheel. "I still need to finish up your car."

"Oh, right," Peeta said before releasing an uneasy breath, panic starting to rise in his chest. Was this it? Was this how it ended? He didn't want her go, but what was he supposed to do? Whatever he chose he was being selfish.

"Your car should be ready by tomorrow morning. You can pick it up any time after ten."

"Ok…," he trailed off as he willed her to look at him. When she made no move to do so, he dropped his shoulders and sighed heavily. "So I guess I'll see you tomorrow morning then?"

"I don't work Sundays," she replied, her voice detached as though her mind was elsewhere. He hated the way she wouldn't look at him. "Haymitch will take care of you."

The silence that followed was unnerving. She kept her eyes trained ahead as she waited for him to get up, but his feet felt like boulders, impossible to move. The engine idled loudly for a few more minutes before he was finally able to force himself out of the seat, and she muttered a faint "good bye" before shifting into first gear. As the Jeep began to roll away, he considered calling out to her but the words died in his throat.

His feet were frozen in place until the glow of the taillights became tiny specs in the distance, and his chest tightened when they finally disappeared around the corner. Just like that, she'd driven away and out of his life forever.

He'd never felt more alone.

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_Come visit me on tumblr: **pookieh**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** The 'M' rating for this fic has finally come into effect for language and sexual content. I do not own any of the characters of The Hunger Games (although I wish I did).

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After Katniss had left him on the curb for a second time in twenty-four hours, he eventually managed to drag his feet back into the house where he dropped to the couch and sat staring at the blank television screen until darkness filled the living room. Time froze as he replayed the events in his head, each time causing his lifeless body to sink further into the couch cushions until the initial shock finally wore off and loneliness—his faithful companion—started to settle in around him. But soon frustration followed and he was up on his feet, tugging at his hair and tracing an invisible line as he paced back and forth across the room.

_Fucking idiot!_ Why did he let her go so easily?

But what did he expect? This wasn't part of the plan. He was home to tie up the loose ends of what remained of his life here, not start something new. After this weekend there wouldn't be anything—or anyone—to keep him here. The thought was depressing, especially after the way Katniss had left him following that kiss: alone and confused.

He could still taste her on his lips but even that couldn't shake the nagging feeling at the back of his mind—it wasn't going to work. There was a spark between them; there was no denying it, one that he knew for certain was worth pursuing but only if she'd allow it. But his chance had passed and he'd blown it. He'd just have to get over it and move on. He barked out a pathetic laugh that echoed through the room. _Yeah right, easier said than done._

He tried to keep himself and his mind occupied by cleaning every square inch of the house again, but once he was finished and he surveyed the stack of moving boxes piled neatly in the corner, he realized there was nothing left to do. So he settled back onto the couch and pulled out his laptop. There had to be a response by now from one of his potential buyers—or at least one of the art galleries he'd been trying to get into for the past year. He needed some good news after tonight.

As he waited for the machine to fire up, he noticed the battery light flashing at him from the corner of the keyboard. He leaned over to retrieve the charger from his laptop bag, but came up empty-handed. _Fuck._ It must have fallen out in the back seat of his car as he was gathering his things the night before. Just his luck.

Peeta sat there with his head against the back of the couch, staring up at the ceiling as he debated whether or not it was a good idea to show up unaccounted at the auto shop and get it. Katniss would most likely still be there, but as much as he wanted to see her again and get an explanation on whether she harbored any feelings for him whatsoever, he wasn't so sure she'd want to see him.

_Screw it_, he thought as he pushed himself up off the seat cushions. He was leaving tomorrow, maybe forever for all he knew, and he was going to tell her how he felt whether she wanted to hear it or not. How could he ever move on from this place if he didn't? He had to do it for himself, for his own sanity.

He quickly changed into a pair of jeans and threw on his favorite plaid shirt, the softness of the fabric a small comfort he needed to go through with this. The cab he called for was there in less than five minutes and his body was on edge the entire drive there. When they pulled up to the front of the shop, he practically threw a twenty-dollar bill at the driver before hurrying to the back of the building. There he found Katniss's now clean Jeep sitting in the parking lot, the back door of the garage propped open, and an orange glow shining through the adjacent window.

He approached the window quietly and peered through the smudged glass. He released shaky sigh when he spotted a small body bent over the front of his car and a work lamp attached to the inside of the hood, casting shadows across the floor as it dangled overhead. His face inched closer to the glass when she grabbed for something off the workbench, but once her body was no longer obstructed by the hood of his car, he cursed under his breath.

She wasn't wearing any pants. Or much of a shirt for that matter. She was in nothing but a pair of black boy shorts and a tight black tank top, the hem riding up her waist to reveal her midriff. Her hair hung down around her shoulders in wet waves and her skin appeared slick as though she'd just stepped out of the shower.

He could feel himself rapidly harden, straining against the front of his jeans not even a minute later, and when she turned around and stared down at the car, providing him a full on view of her body, he couldn't hold in his approving groan.

_Fucking perfect. Her body was fucking perfect._

Forcing himself to turn away from the window took more willpower than he expected, and he shook his head as he closed his eyes. It was wrong to hide out here, staring at her while she was unaware of his presence. He took a deep breath, reminding himself about why he was there in the first place. To talk to her. To tell her how he felt—how he's always felt about her. And if all else failed to get his laptop charger.

With a heavy sigh, he opened his eyes and took one last look at her through the window, lingering a moment too long at her chest as she flipped her hair off her shoulders, revealing her long slender neck. She already wasn't making it easy on him.

He pushed himself off the wall, collected his thoughts, and knocked on the back door, waiting a few moments to allow her to cover herself before pulling it open and stepping through the doorway.

"Katniss? It's me…uh, Peeta. Can I come in?"

The music that he hadn't even realized was playing lowered, but he still waited for her permission first before turning back around. There was some shuffling behind him and then the slam of metal on metal.

"You can turn around now," she called out, her voice unexpectedly breathy.

"Katniss, I—" The words died in his throat when he turned and found her leaning up against the hood of his car, still clad in only her underwear and tank top which he swore had shifted even higher up her middle. His eyes drifted down her body and he released a shaky breath when he realized that she was also barefoot, something about it making her seem even sexier as she circled her toe back and forth along the cement floor. He blinked rapidly as he relocated his voice and averted his eyes back to her face. "Sorry to drop in on you like this, but, I, uh, forgot something in my car. My laptop charger. I kind of, uh, need it."

Her mouth twitched in amusement, no doubt from his fumbling words and flustered appearance. "Oh really, is that all?" She crossed her arms over her chest, obviously not but buying his excuse.

"No, honestly, it's true, but, uh…"

_Fuck! Why was this so hard?_

He took another deep breath. It didn't help that his cock twitched painfully at the sight of her breasts pushed up between her arms. _Focus._ He just needed to get started; after that, he was certain the words would just start to tumble out of his mouth. "Katniss listen, what happened between us today—"

"Peeta—" she started, but he held up a hand to cut her off.

"No, please listen. I need to get this off my chest. I never thought I'd get the chance, but after tonight I'm not sure if I'll ever get it again." He watched her arms drop to her sides as she hoisted herself up onto the hood, gripping the front of the car, her face turning serious as if bracing herself for the unexpected.

With a slow exhale he closed his eyes, only daring to open them once he was sure his voice wouldn't shake. "Katniss, I like you. I mean, _really_ like you…and I have for as long as I can remember. When we kissed, I don't think you understand what that did to me. You see, I've been waiting for over half my life for the chance to kiss you and now that it's happened…" he paused and swallowed down the ball of uncertainty that had collected at the back of his throat. "Now that it's happened, I want…more. So much more."

The features of her face softened, the furrow between her brows disappearing as she sucked in her bottom lip and began to toy with it between her teeth. "More?" she asked hesitantly.

Then it dawned on him that perhaps she'd taken his words the wrong way. "I don't mean _more_ as in, oh God, not like that…" She arched an eyebrow at him and frowned. "Shit, I mean, of course I want you in _that_ way. You don't know how many times I've dreamt about you and fantasized about all the ways I want to touch you and—" He stopped once he realized that he was rambling, before he could make an even bigger fool of himself and recollected his thoughts. "Shit, forget I just said that…what I meant to say was, I want to know if there's even the slightest possibility that maybe…you and I, uh…that you'd be interested in seeing where this could go."

Over the years he'd learned that Katniss Everdeen was a woman of few words, but at that moment he wasn't sure if she was silent because she was considering his proposal…or because it was her answer. Her face was impossible to read and her intense stare was too much for him to take, causing him to drop his gaze to the oil stained floor.

"Peeta." He looked up slowly, preparing himself for either a gentle letdown or to have a wrench thrown at his face. But when their eyes met, she shook her head slowly.

The tightness he felt as the walls of his chest seemed to cave in hurt more than he could have predicted. He shoved his hands into his pockets and attempted to hide his injured pride behind a forced smile, casting his eyes back down to the floor and hunching his shoulders forward, as if to make himself appear smaller. Regret was starting to seep in as he stood there awkwardly, unsure if he should just turn and leave now to lick his wounds, or bow out gracefully with a polite farewell.

"Peeta, look at me." Her voice was quiet yet firm and he complied willingly—there was nothing left for him to lose. Her lips curved up into a breathtaking smile and his heart stopped. "I want more too."

"Y-you do? But, I thought…" He trailed off as she sat up and beckoned him over with a curl of her finger.

"You think too much, that's your problem."

He was in front of her in three strides, stepping between her legs and cupping her face in his hands. "You won't regret this, I swear." He leaned forward and pressed a hard kiss to her lips, holding her in place as her hands trailed up to rest along his forearms. When she pulled back slightly, resting her forehead against his, they both released a contented sigh.

"I better not," she said as she traced the seam of his lips with her thumb and then tugged it down gently. "Now, touch me like you've been wanting to all day." His eyes widened, caught off guard by her words and the depth of desire he found staring back at him, her pupils dilated with only a sliver of her grey irises showing. She removed his hands from her face and lowered them to rest atop her bare thighs.

He was hesitant at first and gave her a questioning look, unsure of how much she expected him to read into her open invitation to touch her. When she answered his silent plea with a seductive swipe of her lower lip with her tongue, he fanned out his fingers, smoothing them across her slick skin to the outside of her thighs. She widened her legs as she leaned forward and circled her arms around his neck, pulling him in to close the gap between them.

"So, is this what you always wear when working alone?" he asked playfully before glancing down to the tops of her breasts.

Katniss chuckled softly. "Let's just say I was hoping you'd show up, and in case you did I wanted to give you a reason to stay." She grinned before tilting her face to nip at his upper lip.

Peeta sucked in a quick breath, preparing himself for what was next. And then her lips made contact with his, light and timid for all but a second before her fingers wove through the hairs at the nape of his neck and she fisted the loose strands tight in her hands.

That was all it took for his body to take control and shove his conscience into the backseat. When she traced the seam of his lips with her tongue, his fingers dug into her legs, pressing them closed against his waist to trap himself between them. The feel of her center against his navel caused his cock to twitch painfully, the scant fabric of her cotton panties the only thing still standing in the way of her being completely exposed to him.

The warmth that radiated off her in waves was intoxicating, accentuating the scent of coconut that seemed to cover her skin. His curious hands began to explore the curve of her backside, kneading the taut muscles with firm, fluid strokes, which earned him breathy gasps that he eagerly swallowed as he tilted his head to deepen their kiss. When her hips began to move, her pelvis grinding against his erection, he cupped her ass to help guide her movements.

She suddenly pressed her breasts against this chest, their lips pulling apart as she dropped her head back. His eager lips explored the column of her neck, grazing his tongue along her skin to catch a salty bead of sweat before it had a chance to disappear into the valley between her breasts.

A rush of adrenaline shot through him from having her so close, her legs wrapped around his body as he slowly mapped out every inch of her chin and jaw and neck with his lips and teasing flicks of his tongue. She pulled back on his head, her hands tugging at his hair when his lips reached her chest, and he looked up at her with concern, worried he'd allowed himself to get too carried away. "Do you want me…to stop?" he whispered between labored breaths.

Katniss shook her head, a wicked grin playing at her lips. "Were you serious when you said you fantasize about me?"

The question took him off guard, although he should have expected it by now, and he pursed his lips, unsure of how to respond without embarrassing himself beyond belief. Well, honesty had got him this far, what harm could it really do now?

"Yes," he answered timidly, wondering where she was going with this. His head filled with the numerous ways he'd pictured kissing her…touching her…making her scream out his name as he pushed her over the edge.

Her teeth sunk into her bottom lip as she pinned him with a blazing stare, the intensity of her silver-grey eyes causing his desire for her to build and build. He froze in place when she released a hand from his neck and trailed it painstakingly slow down his chest until she reached the front of his jeans, rubbing her open palm firmly along the bulge straining against the fabric. He couldn't contain his strangled gasp as his head lolled and his eyes threatened to retreat to the back of his head. Her fingers closed in as she stroked him over his jeans, and he bucked his hips forward, desperate for more friction. With her other hand that was still wound around his neck, she pushed his head forward, forcing him to focus his attention back on her flushed face.

"This is one of your fantasies, isn't it?"

The only one that came close to this exact situation involved them in a similar compromising position, but in the back seat of his car, not on the hood. It was a minor detail that he wasn't about to contest, but who was he kidding—this was hotter. Way hotter. The corners of his mouth lifted into a roguish grin and he chuckled. "What gave it away?"

She leaned in until the tip of her nose brushed against his, and when her lips were just a hairsbreadth away from his, her breath hot against his skin, she tightened her grip on his cock and he groaned.

"This," she said, her voice low and raspy. She released her hold on him and leaned back onto her elbows, spreading her legs to him in invitation yet again. "I want to feel your hands on me."

Peeta licked his lips, his heart pounding wildly in his chest as his hungry eyes roamed over every inch of her body, trying to determine where best to start. They zeroed in on her chest which rose and fell with each heavy breath, her erect nipples straining against her tank top.

_Hmmm…that'll have to go_, he thought to himself.

As if reading his mind, Katniss crossed her arms over her body and grabbed hold of the hem of her top, pulling it up over her head in one quick motion. An appreciative moan escaped him as her breasts bounced gently back into place. _Fuck, her tits were perfect._ He reached up and cupped each soft mound, testing their weight in his palms before squeezing them experimentally and dragging his thumbs over the stiffened peaks. Her impatient whine and the slight wiggle of her hips caused his attention to lower to the black scrap of fabric that was still present.

_Yep, that's where she wanted him._

He trailed his fingertips down along her sides (taking note of a ticklish spot he was certain he'd found) and when he reached her hips, he wasted no time looping his thumbs into the waistband of her underwear and tugging them down, not once looking away from her face as Katniss raised her hips to help. Instead of tossing her panties to the wayside, he grinned and shoved them into the back pocket of his jeans.

He dropped to the floor to kneel between her legs and when he finally lowered his eyes, he was surprised to find a bare patch of skin where he expected to see the thatch of dark brown curls she always had in each of his fantasies. He could feel her intense gaze on him as he eagerly reached up to run his fingers across her smooth skin, but he looked up for permission once more to make sure that this was what she really wanted. It was almost too good to be real.

"Peeta, please," she mewed as she lifted her hips off the hood of the car just enough for his thumb to brush up against her folds. Her moan sent a spark of electricity straight to his groin. "Again," she begged.

He didn't need to be told twice.

He quickly ran his tongue over his fingertips and dragged them up her folds, stopping once he reached the hood of her cleft to spread her open. From the dim lighting he could see her skin was already glistening with her arousal and with the pad of his thumb, he drew her wetness up and around her clit. The temptation to taste her was overwhelming, and his original plan to take his time teasing her first with his fingers was forgotten as the heady scent of her washed over him.

The low, deep-throated moan that escaped her when his lips enclosed around her clit would forever be branded into his memory. Spurred on by the squirm of her hips, he circled the sensitive nub, taking a slow taste and savoring the tartness of her on his tongue. Her strained whimpers filled his ears as he began his search for just the right amount of pressure that would make her legs tremble and the pattern of quick flicks and long slow licks that would have her begging for more.

It didn't take long to figure out what she liked, and after hearing his name tumble from her lips in the midst of her labored breaths, he teased her entrance before sinking two fingers deep inside her, causing her hips to buck against his face as he curled them forward. He didn't dare stop, not even when he began to feel the muscles of his jaw start to tense and his tongue grew slack. When her walls began to tighten around his fingers, a second wave of determination washed over him and he greedily sucked in her clit, tracing tight circles around it over and over as her thighs clamped shut around his ears and her hand came to rest atop his head, her fingernails digging into his scalp.

He moaned when she fisted her fingers in his hair and the hum of his mouth was enough to send her tumbling over the edge, her back arching off the hood of the car as each wave of her orgasm ripped through her. He reached up to hold her flat in place, curious as to what she looked like when she was at the height of complete bliss. He couldn't take his eyes off her face as her eyes screwed shut and her mouth hung open, her breasts bouncing slightly as she gulped in air.

When he slowed his ministrations, her legs fell to the side and she released her hold on his head to drape her arm across her eyes. As he retracted his fingers, he took his time lapping up her arousal with slow, languid strokes of his tongue. She shivered when the occasional aftershock ran through her and when he finally pulled away, content and in awe of what he'd just accomplished and witnessed, she lifted her arm and peered down at him.

"_That _was what you fantasize about?" she asked, her voice breathy in disbelief.

"Yeah well, that and other things." He forced a cough and cleared his throat in hopes that she didn't pick up on the eagerness in his voice. The ache in his pants was way past the point of ignoring it, and he tried to discreetly shift his erection off to the side.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Show me," she challenged as she pushed herself up off her elbows and onto the palms of her hands.

His eyes narrowed, unsure if they were on the same page as to where he thought they were headed. His doubts faded when she sat up and reached for the front of his jeans, making quick work of the button and tugging down the zipper with enough force to send them tumbling to the ground to pool around his ankles. Peeta's head was spinning when she reached for the waistband of his boxers, her bottom lip curled over her teeth as she inched them down his legs. Her eyes lowered when his cock sprung free and his boxers joined his pants at his feet. He quickly stepped out of them and kicked them to the side as he reached down to tug off his shirt, tossing it into the growing pile of discarded clothes.

He'd pictured her hand wrapped around him an embarrassingly high number of times before, but he knew nothing his wild imagination could conjure up would come close to the real thing.

Peeta tried to hold back a moan and his entire body shuddered when her hand wrapped deftly around his cock and she ran her palm and fingers teasingly up his entire length. His eyes screwed shut, and he knew he had to focus if he didn't want this to end before it even began.

With the inhale of a deep steady breath, he pried his eyes open one at a time to find Katniss watching his face intently. When she released him and brought her hand up to her mouth to lick her palm, he stifled a groan and closed his eyes again, the anticipation of her slick hand wrapped around him causing his head to go dizzy with lust. What he wasn't expecting was the wet heat of her lips as she sucked his cock into her mouth, flicking her tongue along the underside of the tip teasingly. His eyes shot open to find her bent over at the waist, her hair tickling the front of his thighs as her head bobbed up and down, taking all of him into her mouth with each pass.

His fists clenched and unclenched at his sides, eager to run his fingers through her hair but worried she'd take it the wrong way if he touched her that way. But he almost lost it when she reached over and took his hand, coaxing him to reach under and cup her breast. An erect nipple grazed the tip of his middle finger and he rolled it against his thumb.

She peered up, releasing him with a "pop" as her hand took over and she worked him slowly while staring up at him with hooded eyes.

"Katniss, I'm not going to last if you keep that up," he warned as he pulled back just a bit. "I-I want…not like this…" He knew he wasn't making any sense but she seemed to understand when she sat back up.

"Well, what are you waiting for then?"

The irony of her word choice caused him to balk, the same words she'd used just before finding out that he was clueless on how to drive stick. It caused his nostrils to flare and his jaw to set in a hard line.

This he knew how to do—and do well—and he was dead set on proving it to her.

He batted her hand away and grabbed hold of the back of her knees and tugged firmly, drawing her closer to him as he took his cock in his hand and circled the tip around her clit before lining himself up at her entrance. But then he stopped.

"Shit," he groaned as he scrubbed his face with his hands. "I don't have any protection." Why would he? It's not like he planned on any of this happening, and he wasn't in the habit of keeping any in his wallet.

"Front pocket of my bag," she said, as she gestured with her head to the workbench behind him.

He released her legs as he turned and fumbled with the zipper of her bag, pulling out a foil packet and tearing it open with his teeth as she scooted her body further up the hood of his car. As he positioned the condom over the tip, she reached over and swatted his hand away. "Let me."

He sucked in a breath and held it as she unrolled the prophylactic down his erection, a flash of pink from her tongue peeking out from the corner of her mouth as she worked. When she was done, he stepped forward, his cock flush with her center as it grazed her folds. He lifted her chin to make her look at him.

"You don't know how many times I've dreamt about this." His honesty caused her cheeks to flush and she smiled shyly. "Does that make me a pervert or something?"

"No, not when I've dreamt the same thing too." The shock and awe from her confession was like a vice around his heart, not to mention a huge boost to his ego. She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, their kiss slow and sweet as her hand came up to caress his face. She pulled away all too soon and grinned. "Now fuck me, Peeta."

She grabbed hold of his cock and positioned it at her entrance, sliding the head up and down her slit, spreading the arousal that had started to leak out from her again. He gripped her hips and looked down as he thrust forward, burying himself to the hilt as her walls stretched to accommodate him. _Fuck she was tight._ He stayed there unmoving, his heart beating loud between his ears, until he felt her clench around him, urging him to move. He slid out almost all the way before slowly inching back into her, reveling in the tight, wet warmth that encased him. He wanted this to last but at the same time all he wanted to do was pound into her.

When her arms wrapped around his neck and she dug her nails into his skin, he lost all his resolve and picked up his pace, rocking in and out of her, the two of them falling into a choreographed rhythm that was accompanied by the sound of their labored breaths and the slapping of skin on skin. She leaned back, and when she raised her legs up slightly he hooked his arms behind her knees, bending forward to hover over her and relish in the new angle, hitting her deeper with each thrust.

"Fuck," he cried out as her nails dug into his back and then scraped down his sides. He hoped to God she left marks on him—he'd need them as proof the next day that this night had been real. The telltale tingling in his balls signaled that he needed to slow down if he wanted this to last, but she wouldn't let him and lifted her hips to meet his thrusts eagerly.

"Don't…stop," she managed between pants as she dropped a hand down between them and her fingers began to rub furious circles around her clit. _Fuck._ The way her eyes fluttered shut and her brow furrowed as her mouth fell open, it was sexy as hell. She was almost there; he could tell by the tremble of her thighs, so he just had to hold out a little longer.

Fortunately for him their timing was right and her walls began to flutter around him and she sucked in a shaky breath, her head falling back onto the hood of his car with a soft "thud."

"Katniss," he grunted just moments before he slammed into her one last time, burying himself deep as he spilled into the condom. His hips jerked forward erratically as he rode out the rest of his orgasm, and he couldn't stop himself from falling onto her body, covering it completely with his as he came down from his high. Realizing that he might be crushing her, he pushed up slightly, but her arms tightened around his back and he dropped his head between her breasts, the rapid beating of her heart apparent against his cheek as he inhaled the intoxicating scent of sweat and coconut and…sex.

_Holy shit._

He'd just had sex with Katniss Everdeen. On the hood of his car. And he was still inside of her, his cock slowly softening as she traced patterns onto his back and murmured his name against his shoulder. He wasn't sure how long they laid there naked, with her legs still wrapped around him as though she wanted to keep him there forever. When his breathing finally returned to normal, he felt a drop of sweat trail down the bridge of his nose and he nudged his face against her breast to wipe it away. Her chest rumbled slightly as she laughed quietly to herself.

"Did that honestly just happen?" she asked as she stared up at the garage's ceiling fan spinning lazy revolutions above their bodies.

"Yeah," he croaked as he tried again to escape her hold. He needed to ditch the spent condom but the feel of her embrace was so warm and comforting, he never wanted her to let go. She finally relented, allowing him to discard the condom in the trash bin behind him. When he bent down and reached into the pile of discarded clothes, she whimpered in protest. He chuckled to himself as he tossed something to her and gestured to the spot between her legs with his head as she caught his shirt against her chest.

She sat up and watched him with her quicksilver eyes that still caused his heart to skip a beat as she cleaned herself. Although he felt a little awkward standing in front of her still naked, she didn't make any attempt to redress, which was totally fine with him. He had no problem taking the time to commit ever inch and curve of her body to memory; he'd seen enough of her to keep him busy with his sketches and paintings for at least a year.

He ran a hand through his hair and sighed, finally reaching down to retrieve his boxers.

"What do you think you're doing?" She quirked an eyebrow at him as she slid off the hood of the car, planting her hands on her hips in a way that accentuated the curves of her silhouette. He dropped his boxers and stared back at her, searching her face for what more she expected from him. She turned on her heel and his eyes dropped to her backside as her hips swayed enticingly from side to side with each step. The back door of his car swung open and she peered over her shoulder, crooking a finger at him to follow. "It's only fair to make one of _my_ fantasies come true now, don't you think?"

He shook his head and chuckled. There was no way in hell he was getting rid of his car now.

* * *

Something tickled his nose as Peeta slowly drifted towards consciousness. The warmth of the pillow he held close to his chest was coaxing him back to sleep, but when it shifted and sighed quietly, his eyes shot open. He blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, and looked down to find Katniss—still naked—tucked in tight against his body. He squeezed his arms around her back slightly to make sure he wasn't dreaming, and when she shifted again, all his doubts flew out the window.

Last night had been real.

He closed his eyes and pulled her even closer as he inhaled deeply, committing the moment to memory. Waking up with Katniss Everdeen in his arms had been another fantasy of his for too many years and now that it was a reality, he was going to live in the moment for as long as he could.

He listened to each of her breaths, trying to match his with hers as he held her close, watching her face as she slept peacefully in his arms. The rays of the sun were starting to filter through the dusty window when she eventually stirred, lifting her lazy head as she awoke to find him smiling down at her. The timid curve of her lips that she gave him in return made his heart ache, and when she leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips, he sighed. He'd never been happier in his life.

"Morning," she whispered as she returned her head to rest on his arm.

"Morning," he replied before brushing his lips across her forehead. Not wanting the reality of their situation to interrupt his perfect morning, he lifted a few hairs off her face before gently adjusting her head under his chin, her face resting against his chest. The feel of her steady breaths against his skin caused his body to break out in goose bumps, and he grinned to himself when she lifted one of her legs to wrap it around his thigh. There was a dull throbbing in his back from spending the night in the back seat of his car, but the discomfort was totally worth it.

He spied a clock on the back wall and cursed to himself.

"So, I should probably go," he said with a heavy heart, not wanting his perfect morning to end. "The real estate agent is supposed to stop by this morning to collect the key to the house." When he moved to sit up, her grip around his waist tightened and he looked down at her hesitantly.

As he thought back to the night before, he realized that they hadn't discussed the details of what "seeing where this could go" meant, and now that he thought about it, how was this going to work?

"Peeta…" she trailed off, her voice unsure as she searched his eyes. He sucked in a breath and held it. _Shit._ The realization had most likely just hit her too. This wasn't going to work for her, he could already tell. He fisted his hands against her back and waited for the awkwardness to follow as she changed her mind and she let him down nicely, and then they'd go their separate ways as if nothing had happened, never to cross paths again.

But then again, the way she was staring at him, still searching his face as though she was hoping to find something. If only she knew how one word could change his life forever.

"Stay," she breathed against his skin before pressing her lips over his heart.

Whether she meant here in the backseat of his car, wrapped around each other in their own world where real life ceased to exist…or here as in District 12, he wasn't quite sure. But in a sudden moment of clarity, he realized that this was where he belonged and that he was never going to leave her. Of that he was certain. Now that he'd had a taste of her, she was forever a part of him.

"Stay here with me," she said again, her voice still quiet but firm. "Please?"

"For real? Are you sure that's what you really want?" he asked, needing to hear reassurance that he wasn't dreaming but more importantly, that she was serious.

He was serious; there was no doubt about that. He'd leave his life in the city and move back here if that's what she wanted. He'd call the real estate agent that very moment to cancel his request the sell the house. Hell, he'd reopen the bakery himself if it meant staying here to share in a life with her.

She nodded slowly, "I want _you_." He felt his heart swell but doubt still lingered in his head, even when she traced his cheek with the back of her fingers, stopping at his chin to brush the pad of her thumb against his lips.

"But, why?" he whispered, a part of him still not able to believe that she was serious.

"Because, you and I have both had to learn the hard way that life is too short to wait around for happiness to find you. I promised myself awhile back that I wouldn't let opportunities to be happy pass me by." She looked away and released a heavy sigh before meeting his gaze once again, her eyes hard set with determination. "And I'd be a fool to let you pass me by a second time."

His mouth twitched as he desperately tried to contain the grin that threatened to split his face. It was almost too much to handle, how his weekend had taken off in a totally different direction than he'd expected, but didn't the best things happen when you least expected them to?

He leaned in and captured her lips in a chaste kiss. "Ok, I'll stay."

"For real?" she asked in disbelief, echoing his exact words from before. "You'd stay for _me_?"

He pulled her tight to his chest and whispered into her hair, "Always."

And just like that, his future had shifted gears.

* * *

**Author's Note:** So for those of you who read this originally as part of S2SL, that's where it ended, but lucky for you, I extended it to one more chapter! Hope you enjoyed this one, I'd love to hear your thoughts and thanks for reading!

_Come visit me on tumblr: pookieh_


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